Exploring the Depth of Self-Determination and Autonomy

A continuation of our series on how the psychology of JP2 is the answer to our modern world gone sideways. In this episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro and philosopher Dr. John Crosby delve deep into the human experience through the lens of Dietrich von Hildebrand and Pope John Paul II.

Discussed in this episode:

• Why a psychology of JP2 is what the world needs to move forward from the mess we’re in
• What it means to “meet someone where they are”
• The difference between our conscious and subconscious, and how this affects our human acts
• The difference between reflective consciousness and reflexive consciousness
• Reflexive consciousness as “an experience of myself from within” (interiority)
• Without reflexive consciousness, an individual is a stranger or spectator to himself/herself
• Self-determination vs the dangers of determinism even within one’s spiritual life
• Coercion vs freedom and other parenting challenges in passing on the faith to our children
• The importance of the philosophy and work of Dietrich von Hildebrand
• Personal anecdotes of von Hildebrand as a professor of philosophy and a confessor of the faith
• Phenomenology and the subjective experience of the person
• The lived experience of one’s own subjectivity as an important dimension of the blueprint of the human person

Resources mentioned or relevant: 

• Learn more about the Hildebrand Project and the books, events, and resources available
• Support the work of the Hildebrand Project
• The Art of Living by Dietrich von Hildebrand with Alice von Hildebrand
• Learn more about Alice von Hildebrand
• Person and Act by Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II)
• Past Being Human podcast episodes:
  • Episode 180: The Psychology of JP2: A Bold Proposal
  • Episode 174: Healing or Harm? Unveiling the Truth about Bad Therapy
  • Episode 173: Unmasking Disintegration: Examining the APA’s Stance on Gender Identity
• If you are a Catholic mental health professional, join the waiting list for Fellowship, a practical way to deeply connect the dots between your identity as a therapist and a Catholic
• Need help? Schedule a free consultation with someone on our team to discuss how we can support you
• Want to help? Learn more about our Certification program: CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism
• Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, to stay up to date on the exciting developments at CatholicPsych
• Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available
• Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, courses, prayer resources, and more
• Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!
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Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you!

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